Handle device for operating carpet sweeper

ABSTRACT

A handle is disclosed connected to the top of the frame body of a carpet sweeper for driving the sweeper back and forth includes a slightly bent neck in the vicinity of its lower end connected to the frame body. A pin extending from the lower end of the neck is journaled in a bearing hole formed in a short head for connecting the neck to a connecting pin extending across a groove in a top center portion of the frame body. The bending of the neck permits the handle to be swivelled to a low position relative to the frame body.

o Fir f L United States Patent 1191 1 1 $11, 1 Fukuba Apr. 2, 1974 [54] HANDLE DEVICE FOR OPERATING 2,875,460 3 1959 Legge 15/144 A x CARPET SWEEPER 3,268,936 8/1966 Fukuba 15/42 X [76] Inventor: 25222 gg i l i Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts g y p Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [22] Filed: Aug. 7, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 278,483 [57] ABSTRACT A handle is disclosed connected to the top of the [30] Foreign Application Priority Data frame body of a carpet sweeper for driving the Apr. 4, 1972 Japan 47-33l64 Sweeper back and forth includes a Slightly bent neck in the vicinity of its lower end connected to the frame 52] US. Cl. 15/41 R, 15/144 R y- A p extending from the lower end of the neck 51 Int. Cl. A47l 11/32 is journaled in a bearing hole formed in head [58] Field of Search 15/41-49, 144 R, for Connecting the neck to a connecting P extending 15/144 A 411 50 2 0 4737 across a groove in a top center portion of the frame body. The bending of the neck permits the handle to [56] References Cited be swivelled to a low position relative to the frame body.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 2 I974 SHEET 1 [IF 3 FIG] PATENTED R 2 SHEET 2 BF 3 PATENTEDAPR 2mm 3800.351

SHEET 3 [IF 3 PT F765 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A carpet sweeper has heretofore been proposed which comprises a flat frame body, a rotary brush disposed at the center of the open under face of the frame body, rolling wheels for driving the rotary brush and dust receptacles disposed in front and rear of the rotary brush. The carpet sweeper is operated by an elongated handle connected to an upper portion of the frame frame body from being put under furniture for cleaning 7 purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a handle device for operating a carpet sweeper, more particularly to a device for controlling the direction of movement of the frame body of the sweeper on the floor.

An object of this invention is to provide a handle device for operating a carpet sweeper by which the frame body thereof can be moved in a curved or zigzag path by swivelling the handle with the hand on the grip thereof when it is driven back and forth on the carpet,

the device thus making-it possible to readily change the direction of movementof the frame body for an easy cleaning operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a handle device in which a lower portion of the handle proximate to its connection with the frame body, is bent at a certain angle and the handle is adapted to-be swivelled at its neck portion connected to the frame body, so that the handle can be inclined to a'low position within a particular range of angle with respect to the frame body, the device thus enabling the user to clean a carpet even under a bed, chair, sofa or like furniture without assuming an inconvenient posture.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a handle device by which, while the sweeper is not used with the handle upright, the handle can be kept in a stable position in spite of the bending ofa lower portion of the handle.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a carpet sweeper in its entirety which embodies the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away showing the connection between the lower end of a handle and the top of a frame body;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing the carpet sweeper during operation;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the position of the frame body relative to the handle as the handle has been swivelled;

2 FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the accompanying drawings, a frame body 1 of the carpet sweeper of this invention is open at its. under face and houses therein a rotary brush 2, two dust receptacles 3 and 3, and rolling wheels 4, 4, 4 and 4 for driving the rotary brush 2 and supporting the frame body 1 on the floor. This construction known in the art.

According to the the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a groove 7 formed in the top of the frame body 1 is provided with a short pinlike head 6 through which a connecting pin 8 extends. The connecting pin 8 extends through opposite walls defining the groove 7 and serves as a traverse stay within the frame body 1 to reinforcethe frame body 1. The short head'6 has a lower end rounded in cross section and partly including a planar portion 14, which when brought into fitting contact with a plate spring 15 disposed in the groove 7 servesto keep thehandle 5 which is connected to the short head 6 by means of a neck 9. As already known, the short head 6, with the handle 5 connected thereto is pivotably movable back and forth and then fitted into a hollow cavity'formed in the upper end of the short head 6. The bearing 11 is locked in position by a pin 12 extendingfrom a side portion of the short head 6. The handle 5 for operating the carpet sweeper is so formed as to accommodate the tapered portion 13 of the neck 9.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a modified embodiment of this invention in which a U-shaped plate spring 16 is disposed in the groove 7 of the frame body 1. The plate spring 16 is smaller in widthat its upper portion so as to come into contact with the opposite sides of the handle 5 when the handle 'is in an upright position, the spring 16 having'a sufficiently great width at its bottom to prevent shaking of the spring 16 in the groove 7. A connecting pin 8 extending through opposite walls defining the groove 7 extends through the upstanding members 17 and 17 of the U-shaped plate spring 16. Thus the upstanding members 17 and 17 clamp the neck 9a which is rotatably connected to a short head similar to that of the embodiment in FIG. 2. The short head 6a is movable back and forth about the connecting pin 8 and has at its upper end a pin 10a engageable with a bearing 11 made for example of a synthetic resin. The neck 9a bent at a certain angle as in the embodiment of FIG. 2 has a hollow cavity at its one end in which the bearing 1 1 rotatably retaining the ,pin 10a therein is fitted with adhesive applied thereto. The bearing 11 is locked in position by a pin 12 in a side portion of the neck 9a.

According to the construction of the invention described above, the neck 9 or 9a rotatably connected by the short head 6 or 6a and the bearing 11 to the connecting member 8 extending across the groove 7 'of the frame body 1 delivers the movement of the lower part of the handle to the frame body 1 when the handle is moved back and forth by the user, permitting the rolling wheels 4 and rotary brush 2 to clean the carpet.

When the neck 9 is so positioned relative to the frame body 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the frame body 1 will be moved straight back and forth on the floor when the user operates the handle without greatly changing the orientation of the handle 5.

On the contrary, if the handle 5 is swivelled leftward by the hand, the bending of the neck 9 causes the frame body 1 to move forward on the floor in a leftwardly curved course as shown in FIG. 4, while if the handle 5 is turned rightward and retracted, the frame body 1 will be moved backward straight.

Thus the carpet sweeper including rotary brush 2, dust receptacles 3 and rolling wheels 4 can be moved back and forth by pushing or pulling the handle 5 connected to the neck 9 or 9a. By swivelling the handle with the hand grasping its grip, the frame body 1 can be directed in varying directions as desired to drive the body 1 in a curved or zigzag course. The provision of the bent neck 9 in proximity to the connection of the handle to the frame body 1 makes it possible to change the direction of travel of the frame body 1 on the spot with a minimum moment while cleaning an indoor narrow place and to clean the carpet under desks, sofas and like furniture. The present invention therefore achieves an outstanding effectiveness in practical use for indoor cleaning.

The planar portion 14 formed in part of rounded lower end face of the short head 6 keeps the handle in a stable position when brought into fitting contact with the plate spring 15 in the groove 7 of the frame body 1, while the short head 6 is pivotally movably back and forth about the connecting pin 8. With this construction, the restoring action of the plate spring 15 assures that the handle 5 will be kept in an upright state while the sweeper is not used. Further the bent portion of the neck 9 provided in a lower portion of the handle in proximity to the frame body l'makes it sure that the handle can be swivelled on the spot with a minimum moment and serves to keep the handle 5 in position with improved stability.

The provision of the U-shaped plate spring 16 provided in the groove 7 of the frame body 1 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 assures that whereas the neck 9a is pivotable when the handle 5 is in a fallen position, the upstanding members 17 and 17 will clamp the neck 9a with their restoring force when the handle 5 is in an upright position, exerting a braking action on the neck 9a against the tendency of the neck 90 moving pivotally from its upright position.

If the upstanding members 17 and 17 of the plate spring 16 fails to give a sufficient braking action, the contact portions of the upstanding members 17 and 17 and the neck 9amay be knurled to increase the frictional resistance therebetween and thereby permit the members 17 and 17 to effect a reliable braking action. Alternatively, the upstanding members 17 and 17 may be formed with shallow recesses for arresting the opposite sides of the neck 9a to retain the handle in an upright state.

What is claimed is:

l. [n a carpet sweeper including a frame body means having an open under face and a closed top face with a groove in its center portion, a rotary brush means transversely supported at the center of the open under face of said frame body means, dust receptacle means positioned in front and rear of the rotary brush in proximity thereto, and pivotally movable from a closed position to an open position, rolling wheels disposed at lower portions of opposite sides of said frame body means for contact with the floor, driven wheel means in frictional contact with-the rolling wheels for driving the rotary brush, and a handle with upper and lower portions and having a grip and connected to the top of said frame body means for moving said frame body means backwards and forwards, the improvement comprises:

said handle being provided with means so that when a rightward or leftward twisting pivotal movement is given to the grip of said handle and the frame body means is subsequently pushed forward, then the direction of travel of the frame body means follows a curved path; and

the lower portion of the handle proximate to its connection with said frame body means being slightly bent to form a bent neck portion and the bent neck portion having pivoting means to pivotally connect its lower part to said frame body means so as to render said bent neck portion swivellable with respect to said frame body means.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bent neck portion is pivotally connected to the frame body by a pin fitted in a bearing hole, said pin projecting from the lower end of said neck portion, a short head disposed between the frame body means and said bent neck portion for connection with a connecting pin extending across said groove in the top center portion of said frame body means, with said bearing hole being formed in the other end of said short head and a sleeve fitted in the bearing hole for providing a frictionless bearing for said pin.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one slanting planar side face is formed at the lower end of said short head and a plate spring means acting to push the planar face upward is embedded in the bottom of said groove in the top center portion of said frame body means.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein means is provided for preventing the swivelling movement with respect to said frame body means when said handle is brought to its upright position on said frame body means.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein a plate spring means is disposed in the groove in the top of the frame body means and has vertical members biased to clamp said short head at its opposing side faces, said vertical members elastically supporting the opposing sides of said bent neck portion when the handle is brought to its upright position on said frame body means. 

1. In a carpet sweeper including a frame body means having an open under face and a closed top face with a groove in its center portion, a rotary brush means transversely supported at the center of the open under face of said frame body means, dust receptacle means positioned in front and rear of the rotary brush in proximity thereto, and pivotally movable from a closed position to an open position, rolling wheels disposed at lower portions of opposite sides of said frame body means for contact with the floor, driven wheel means in frictional contact with the rolling wheels for driving the rotary brush, and a handle with upper and lower portions and having a grip and connected to the top of said frame body means for moving said frame body means backwards and forwards, the improvement comprises: said handle being provided with means so that when a rightward or leftward twisting pivotal movement is given to the grip of said handle and the frame body means is subsequently pushed forward, then the direction of travel of the frame body means follows a curved path; and the lower portion of the handle proximate to its connection with said frame body means being slightly bent to form a bent neck portion and the bent neck portion having pivoting means to pivotally connect its lower part to said frame body means so as to render said bent neck portion swivellable with resPect to said frame body means.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bent neck portion is pivotally connected to the frame body by a pin fitted in a bearing hole, said pin projecting from the lower end of said neck portion, a short head disposed between the frame body means and said bent neck portion for connection with a connecting pin extending across said groove in the top center portion of said frame body means, with said bearing hole being formed in the other end of said short head and a sleeve fitted in the bearing hole for providing a frictionless bearing for said pin.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one slanting planar side face is formed at the lower end of said short head and a plate spring means acting to push the planar face upward is embedded in the bottom of said groove in the top center portion of said frame body means.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein means is provided for preventing the swivelling movement with respect to said frame body means when said handle is brought to its upright position on said frame body means.
 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein a plate spring means is disposed in the groove in the top of the frame body means and has vertical members biased to clamp said short head at its opposing side faces, said vertical members elastically supporting the opposing sides of said bent neck portion when the handle is brought to its upright position on said frame body means. 